Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 07/06/2004 23:44, Reinier de Blois wrote:

> Dear Karl,
>
>  
>
> > I understand this verb to refer to sentencing something to 
> > destruction, which for living things is a sentence of death. 
> > For something devoted to the Lord, to the giver it is the 
> > same as dead or destroyed in so far as he can no longer make 
> > use of it.
> >    
>
> To the giver, yes. The priests can make use of it though, in some cases
> (Num. 18:14; Ezk. 44:29)
>
>  
>
> > Is there connection between this and a (fish) trap?
> >    
>
> If there is a relation it is an etymological one. The basic meaning of
> X-R-M is "to split" (Lev. 21:8; Isa. 11:15). This word may have
> developed in two directions:
>
> (1) to split > to set apart for God
> (2) to split > to separate (e.g. by leading into a fish trap?)
>
> Synchronically though, we can simply conclude that the noun XEREM has
> two meanings, whether etymologically related or not:
>
> (1) fishing net, fish trap
> (2) state of having been set apart
>
>  
In this regard we also need to consider the Arabic term HARAM, borrowed 
into many other languages, which (at least in the variant of it which I 
know) refers mainly to food which is unclean may not be eaten, i.e. the 
opposite of HALAL which is the Muslim equivalent of "kosher". HARAM can 
also be used for unjustly obtained goods e.g. stolen property which 
should be shunned as if unclean. This is of course a different concept 
from the Hebrew X-R-M, but the semantic link is also clear.

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/